From the beginning, Chef has been about a group of like-minded practitioners working together to help one another build better infrastructure. We started small—just a few people tinkering and experimenting. As we gained more and more comfort and conviction in the tools we were building, and in one another, we expanded both in the scope of the infrastructures we were automating, and in the scope of the tool we were building.
Writing a book about a technology that moves as quickly as Chef does is a brave endeavor and one that can only really be undertaken by someone who has long been both a practitioner and active member of our community. Matthias is both, and I'm proud that we've come so far together that someone of his caliber would write a book about Chef.
If you're a first-time Chef, welcome to our community. May you build systems you are proud of, and that your users love. If you're a long-time member of our community, congratulations! Matthias has something to teach all of us, and you should take personal pride in the part you've played in getting all of us here.
Best wishes,
Adam Jacob
Co-founder of Opscode and the Creator of Chef